Our Team – Arts In Medicine Projects

FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ARTS IN MEDICINE PROJECT

KUNLE ADEWALE

Kunle Adewale is an artist by profession and a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Nigeria with specialization in painting and art history. He studied Civic Leadership from Tulane University, New Orleans and Arts in Medicine, from University of Florida. With over a decade experience as an artist and educationist, Kunle founded Tender Arts Nigeria in 2013, a social enterprise and non-profit making organization which positively impacts children, youth and adult population with focus on therapeutic arts, art education, talent development, community development and civic engagement. He has impacted over 15000 beneficiaries through his art programs in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and United States. He has facilitated Therapeutic Art Projects for Children and Young Adults in Nigeria, West Africa, South Africa and United States of America, among them include Children and adults Living with Cancer, Sickle Cell anemia,dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and other neurological disorders. In 2014, He was nominated for Global Teacher Prize organized by Varkeys Foundation in the United Kingdom. He was once the international program director of ICEHA’s Healing Through Art for survivors of Boko haram insurgency in North East Nigeria which has benefitted over 10,000 survivors in the IDPS camp, children and women inclusive. Some of his community based projects has been supported by U.S Department of State, U.S Consulate Lagos, and endorsed by International Child Arts Foundation, Washington D.C, United Nation Information Center, Society of Nigerian Artists, Mandela Washington Fellowship, Young African Leaders Initiative, Terra-kulture Art Gallery, Lagos State Ministry of Sports Youth and Social Development, Association of Private Educators of Nigeria and Committee of Relevant Arts (CORA) Lagos Nigeria.
In August 2015, Kunle had the honour of meeting President Barack Obama through Mandela Washington Fellowship award for Young African leaders in Washington D.C.
He was also specially recognized by Smithsonian Institution Washington DC. In 2015 and he was named Young African ambassador for Art and Culture by The Arts Council of New Orleans, Louisiana USA. He has featured on international and local media platform like Voice of America Washington D.C. South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC 3) EbonyLife TV, Voice of Nigeria, NTA, STV and TVC among many others to mention a few.
Kunle is an International Advocate For persons living Cancer and Sickle Cell Anemia. He is a recipient of 2016 Commonwealth Youth Worker Award in United Kingdom.
He is a member of Art Therapy Without Borders ,Inc. Kunle was nominated for JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons of Nigeria 2018, Cultural Achievement Category and He currently run arts in medicine project in Nigeria and coordinate Arts in Medicine project in African Countries. He is the Executive Director of Arts in Medicine Fellowship for Students and Professionals in Arts and Health in Nigeria. He has featured as a panelist and keynote speaker at Arts and Health related Conferences in Nigeria.
Kunle continues to provide visionary leadership and inspires social development in Nigeria and Africa through his creative engagement programs. He is the Nigerian representative for Arts Health Early Career Research Network in United Kingdom. Kunle is an Atlantic Fellow of the Global Brain Health Institute, San Francisco, United States of America

Board of Directors

Ms-Achenyo-Idachaba-Obaro

Ms. Achenyo Idachaba-Obaro is a Computer Scientist turned Social Entrepreneur. She is the Founder of MitiMeth, an award winning Social Enterprise in Nigeria. MitiMeth trains and engages riverine communities and local artisans to produce and earn livelihoods from unique handcrafted home décor and personal accessories utilizing invasive aquatic weeds (an environmental menace), agro-waste and non-timber resources. MitiMeth’s unique handmade products have featured in domestic and international exhibitions and in 2013, MitiMeth received the Local Raw Materials Content Award from the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) for its innovative use of Water Hyacinth. In 2017, MitiMeth received the ACE Award from Bellafricana for the Best Eco-Friendly Product Innovation.
Achenyo was named among YNaija and LLA’s 2017 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria and a 2017 Vital Voices VV Lead Fellow. She was nominated the 2015 Emerging Female Entrepreneur of the Year by the Creative Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (CEAN) and is a 2015 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) Awardee. She is the 2014 Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards Laureate for Sub-Saharan Africa and a 2013 YouWIN!Women Awardee. Achenyo has spoken at the Weltethos-Institut, TED and at Harvard University. She has also been featured on BBC, Deutsche Welle TV, CNBC Africa, CNN’s African Start-Up, The Nation and BusinessDay Newspapers, Inc, Business Life Magazine and on BusinessAfrica TV. Her work has also been featured in several publications. Prior to founding MitiMeth and Greennovative Chain Consulting, Achenyo spent 11 years with ExxonMobil in the U.S. where she held a variety of Regional and Global positions. She has a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, an M.S. in Applied Computer Science from Illinois State University and an M.B.A from Cornell University.

Dr. KUNLE ADEYEMI

Kunle Adeyemi was born on the 13th of August, 1959 in Ondo State, Nigeria. He attended Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos State, University of Benin, Benin City and Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria, where he bagged a Higher National Diploma with specialization in painting, Masters of Fine Art (MFA) degrees in Graphic Design specializing in Printmaking, and Post Graduate Diploma in Education respectively. He holds a PhD in Studio Arts (Practice-Led) from the Delta State University, Abraka, Delta, Nigeria. He was 3rd Place Winner of a National Painting Competition organized by Mobil Producing PIc in 1983, Winner, Best pictorial Composition Student, 1984, First Place, NYSC Art Exhibition, Competition, Kano state, Nigeria in 1985, he was also honoured with Nigerian Institute of International Service Award in 2003.

He is exposed to Typography, Graphic Reproduction, Etching & Engraving, Graphic. Design, Screen Printing Process, Painting, Drawing, Intaglio, Plastography, Lithography, etc. In 1988, he was Chairman, exhibition committee of Society of Nigerian Artist (SNA), he painted the portrait of the Oba of Ondo Kingdom (His Royal Majesty, Oba F. I. A. Adesanoye, Osungbedelola II). welcome pix In 1997, he represented the Lagos State Chapter of SNA in a workshop organized by the British Council in Pottery, Ibadan, and at the SNA National Conference, Auchi ’98. He is a member of Master Printers Association of Nigeria. he was Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of the Society of Nigeria Artists from 1996 2003, also a member of the Guild of Printmakers, Nigeria. He wea former vice president, Society of Nigerian Artists, Nigeria. Kunle has delivered papers at both local and international conferences, seminars and lectures. He has had over 100 group exhibitions and over 14 solo exhibitions to his credit.

ABIMBOLA ALAO

Abimbola studied at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where she gained a BA (Hon) Classics in 1988 and an MA Classics in 1991. She later studied PGCE and MA in Creative Writing at the University of Plymouth.
Abimbola is the author of Trickster Tales for Telling (2016), How to Enhance Your Storytelling With Music (2016),The Legendary Weaver: New Edition, a young-adult fiction book (2003 and 2011), and The Goshen Principle: A Shelter in the Time of Storm (2010). She has also written numerous poems, short stories and plays. In 2008, her short play, ‘Legal Stuff’, won the BBC and Royal Court Theatre ’24 Degrees’ Writing Competition. In 2011-2012, she wrote a collection of fables for KidsOut World Stories; this project won the 2013 Talk Talk Digital Heroes award for the East of England.[1] [2] She is a children’s book translator and her work includes translation of the classics: ‘Hansel and Gretel’, ‘The Little Red Hen and the Grain of Wheat’ and several other books, published by Mantra Lingua publishers.
Abimbola was a tutor at the Institute of Education, University of Plymouth, from 2003 to 2007 and was appointed as a lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of St Mark & St John (MARJON), Plymouth, in 2007. A recipient of Plymouth’s 2017 Mayflower Scholarship, she is currently researching the influence of physical and cognitive non-pharmacological intervention on disease progression in people living with dementia.
Abimbola is the lead provider of ‘StoryWeavers for Dementia’, a Special Study Unit (SSU) in Medical Humanities, at the Peninsula School of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth. The program, developed by Abimbola, explores non-pharmacological approach to dementia care, and offered to people who live with various forms of dementia. In 2015, Abimbola collaborated with the Alzheimer’s Society to run a 12-week project with service users in memory cafes. This culminated in an anthology titled, ‘Narrative Adventures from Plymouth Memory Cafes’. [3] In January 2014, Stoke Damerel College in Plymouth participated in StoryWeavers for Dementia; the school won the Prime Minister’s Dementia Friendly Award: Schools Category in May 2014.[4]
Abimbola was a regular contributor to the BBC Radio Devon ‘Pause for thought’, between 2004 and 2009. She also contributes to ‘Saturday Thought’, a weekly column in The Herald.

Dr ANNETTE AKINSETE

Annette Akinsete is a woman of many parts. Married with three children, she is – inter alia – a Consultant Public Health Physician, a Teacher and a Broadcaster. She was Director (Public Health Department) of the Federal Ministry of Health for many years and has represented the Federal Government of Nigeria at several fora world over.
As a Public Health Physician, Akinsete has worked in every level of government in Nigeria – from local, State to Federal levels. At global level, she has contributed to World Health Organisation (WHO) publications on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), served as WHO Fellow in Geneva and as UN Cares Facilitator at the United Nations HQ in New York.
She remains a key resource person on NCDs for the West African Health Organisation. Akinsete represents Women’s Board at the United Nations and continues to help in the formation of young girls as a Brownie Owl.

DOTUN POPOOLA

DOTUN POPOOLA is a synergistic metal sculptor who has carved a niche for himself with his hyperrealistic monumental hybrid metal sculptures. He holds a National Diploma in painting and General Arts in Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi Edo State, where he graduated as the best student in painting and general arts in the institution in 2004. He had his first and second degree in Fine and applied arts with a specialization in sculpture and painting respectively in Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Dotun trained in many art studios, and he is a certified hybrid metal sculptor and a resident artist in Lemmon South Dakota, at John Lopez studio, United States of America.. Dotun won the Director General’s Award of Best Artist of the year in the maiden NYSC arts competition in 2009. He is a recipient of several awards.

He featured in 2018 at West Africa International Art Fair “ARTX Lagos” .Dotun has participated in twenty six (26) group exhibitions, twelve (12) joint, and four (4) solo exhibitions. He is passionate about touching lives through his artistic and leadership skills; turning trash to treasures, rubbish to rubies. Dotun Poopola facilitates art workshops for healthcare centers, hospices, orphanage homes and rehabilitation centres and schools locally and internationally. Dotun has equally executed several monumental sculptures and large murals both in Nigeria and United States of America. Worked as a curator II with the National Gallery of Arts, Oshogbo outstation, Osun State Nigeria, between 2012 till 2018, and currently worked as a full time studio experimentalist.
Dotun continues to provide landmark mentoring opportunities for Professional development for local and International artists in his studio in South-West Nigeria.

OYINDAMOLA FAKEYE

Oyindamola Fakeye is an Experiential Art Curator and a Learning and Participation Producer. Her interests lie in experiential learning, participatory experiences through art and technology and the holistic health implications of art.

She is a board member of the Arts in Medicine Project and was the 2019/2020 Director for the Arts in Medicine Fellowship. Oyinda is the founder of Sound Mind Africa, a holistic mental health project based in Nigeria.

Oyinda works with the British Council as an Arts Consultant and the Centre for Contemporary Art Lagos, where she began her curatorial training. In 2009, she co-founded the Video Art Network Lagos (VAN Lagos) a New Media Art organisation focused on providing a platform for learning, international exchange and promotion of Nigerian artists.

Advisory Board Members

Dr. Mashudat Abiola Bello-Mojeed (MBBS, MPH, MSc. CAMH, FCPA, FMCPsych, FWACP)

Dr. Mashudat Abiola Bello-Mojeed (MBBS, MPH, MSc. CAMH, FCPA, FMCPsych, FWACP), is a Public Health Physician and a Senior Consultant Psychiatrist. She is a Fellow of both the West African College of Physicians and National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria with an excellent academic degree in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (MSc. CAMH). She an excellent breed of and an Associate Lecturer at the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CCAMH), University of Ibadan and a Senior Lecturer at the Federal School of Occupational Therapy, Lagos, Nigeria. She is a Director and a Board of Trustee member of an autism support group in Nigeria called “Association of Families and Professionals for Autism Support (AFPA)” and the vice-Chair, Childhood Neuropsychiatric Disorders Initiatives, Nigeria. She is a Pioneer member of and the Valedictorian Arts in Medicine 2018 Cohort, as well as an Advisory Board Member, Arts in Medicine, Tender Art, Nigeria.
She is a seasoned local and international researcher/resource person with a vast number of research paper publications in numerous peer review journals on topics ranging from emotional problems, psychosis, substance abuse, autism, school mental health, intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, epilepsy and other childhood health conditions. In addition to working with children and adolescents with mental health challenges, she is actively involved in delivery of quality patient care, scientific research, training of medical doctors and non-specialist including mothers and other family caregivers of children with health challenges. She has an extensive experience in training non- mental health specialist including primary health care staff, family caregivers, teachers with the aim of raising the standard bar for teaching and learning across communities and at all levels of school system. She has facilitated trainings for teachers from schools with Nigerian, British and American curriculum in the country. The quality of her training is outstanding and cutting edge in content.
She had participated as a vibrant Guest Speaker on topics related but not limited to Community, Clinical and School Mental Health issues in developed high resource and low resource settings. She is committed to bridging gaps in knowledge about mental health in Low and Middle Income Countries such as Nigeria and other African countries. She has collaborated with local and international trainers and researchers in the field of child and adult mental health across the globe. She is passionate about ensuring positive educational outcome and development of full potential for all young people from whatever background in the community. She contributes her quota through quality training of trainers in the community, educational and health sectors.

ONYEDIKACHI EKWERIKE

Onyedikachi Ekwerike is an A-list Mental Health expert. Onyedikachi is the founder of Postpartum Support Network Africa, the first maternal mental health organization in Africa working to raise awareness about postpartum depression among women in Africa. The organization works not only to raise awareness but also provide free screening and support for women and families struggling with postpartum depression. Since 2015, PSN Africa has served over 15,000 women and now supports women across 4 African Countries namely; Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Botswana.
Onyedikachi is a Clinical Psychologist, with a first class in psychology from Lagos State University and a Masters in Clinical Psychology from University of Lagos, Nigeria. Onyedikachi serves as Consultant Clinical Psychologist with The Retreat Health Care, Nigeria’s first private purpose built mental health facility.
Onyedikachi’s ground-breaking work in the mental health space led to his selection for the 2017 Mandela Washington Fellowship Award. In 2018, Onyedikachi was selected and awarded Global Leaders Fellow, a prestigious fellowship awarded to 10 young leaders from across the world.
Besides leading change in the mental health space, Onyedikachi is passionate about helping Young African non-profit leaders build capacity, a passion that has led him to work for a PhD in Leadership Communication at Kansas State University, USA.

JULIE CONNELLY

Julie Connelly is the Director,Tulane Arts in Medicine program in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
The Tulane Arts in Medicine (AIM) program seeks to provide arts-related workshops, activities, events and performances for patients, caregivers and families, at the Tulane Cancer Center and the Tulane Hospital for Women and Children. Arts in Medicine recognizes the integral role of the arts in healing the spirit and transforming the hospital experience through program such as mobile Arts Cart, Music Mends visits, creative writing groups, staff painting events, comedy performances, hospital beautification projects.

Tosin Olakanye (Ayanbinrin)

Tosin Olakanye (Ayanbinrin) the Mother Drum of Africa is a Nigerian talking drummer, singer and dancer based in Miami, Florida in the United State of America.
An accomplished and energetic talking drummer, singer, dancer, arts enthusiast and cultural entrepreneur

Tosin’s songs fuses the elements of Highlife and Afrobeat to create a modern sound that resonates pop and contemporary music. She just released two epic singles titled “MAMA AFRIKA” and “THE SOJOURN”. Motherdrum as fondly called by fans across the globe, has a distinctive prowess on the African talking drum and the genre of her music ranges from Reggae, pop, highlife and soul.

Her songs are available worldwide on iTunes store, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon, YouTube, Google Play Store , Apple music and many more online stores.

It has been her dream to use art to celebrate and promote the cultural heritage of African people and also bring healing to the sick.

Tosin is a recipient of many awards, recognitions, nominations and she is also member of professional art organizations locally and internationally.

Outstanding Musician Award at Nigeria Art, Fashion & Beauty ,Texas United States. 2018

Yoruba Heritage Awards 2011, for “Best Female Musician of the year” in United Kingdom.

Odua Royal Icon Award (ORI) 2012, as the “AsojuOdobinrin of Yoruba Land”. Meaning, Female Ambassador of the Yoruba kingdom.

Cultural Ambassador 2011,by His Royal Majesty Oba (Dr.) Lamidi Adeyemi (CON) the Alaafin of Oyo Kingdom. Solidra Circle Award for Excellence, 2005 for the “Outstanding Performing Art”. Nigeria Music Video Awards (NMVA), 2008 for the “Most Indigenous Music Video” (nomination). Royal Adviser &Matron, Yoruba Council of Youth

Member, Professional Musician Association of Nigeria (PMAN)

Member, Female leadership Organization of Nigeria

Member, Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture

Member, Association of Professional Drummers of Nigeria (APDON)

Jamilla-Webb

Jamilla Webb serves her community as a Public Health Nurse , Certified Doula and writer. She has written several articles for Antigravity Magazine and MamaBlack.org , bringing
attention to health disparities that disproportionately affect Black women and children.
As a member of Birthmark Doula Collective for more than 5 years, she compassionately
supports pregnant and parenting families in New Orleans. Jamilla is currently a clinical
Nursing associate with the LSU Department of Microbiology, Immunology and
Parasitology where she supports sexual health with STI testing, treatment and
community research.

ELAINE POGGI

Elaine Poggi, the founder of The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals, is an American citizen and has resided in Florence, Italy, for many years. In 2001, her 85-year-old mother was admitted to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, and was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She left her family in Italy to be with her mother and assisted her all day, and sometimes all night, every day of her almost three-month stay in the hospital. Along with her mother, Elaine experienced endless hours of loneliness, staring at sterile, white hospital walls. Out of desperation to bring life and color back into her mother’s life during her stay, she decided to alleviate the cold and unfriendly hospital environment by decorating her room with her enlarged photographs of underwater scenes and landscapes of Florence. Immediately, her mother’s room had a more comforting atmosphere. The photos had the effect of boosting her mother’s morale and also quickly became a topic of conversation for the hospital staff, other patients, and visitors.
Elaine received the 2010-11 Global Alumni Service to Humanity Award for Zone 31 from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International for her work with Healing Photo Art.
The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals, Inc., was incorporated in the USA as a non-profit organization in November 2002 to allow the photo project to expand. To present, more than 5,000 photos have been placed in over 300 healthcare facilities on 7 continents.

Adedoyin Ogunyemi

Adedoyin Ogunyemi is a medical doctor and public health specialist with 14 years of work experience in the private and public health sector in Nigeria. She has worked both in the clinical and management positions in the delivery of health care to individuals and groups of people.
Dr Ogunyemi is a fellow of Faculty of Public Health of both the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and the West African College of Physicians. She lectures at the College of Medicine, UNILAG and her research interests include vulnerable population groups and the dynamics of health disparities.
She obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at the University College Hospital, University of Ibadan in 2004 and a Masters in Public Health from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos in 2009. She was a beneficiary of the Rotary Peace Fellowship from which she obtained a Masters in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the University ofBradford, United Kingdom in 2015.
She is the current Public Relations Officer of the Association of the Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (Lagos State Chapter) and has featured on several radio and television health programs creating health awareness.

Arts In Medicine Team

ARTS IN MEDICINE PROJECT

BISOLA ALAGBEDE

Bisola Alagbede is a visual artist, a graduate of Fine and Applied Arts, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Oyo State. She hails from Ogun state in Nigeria and was born on the 19th of June 1991.
She’s a conceptual artist who uses different mediums in interpreting experiences – personal and vicarious. She has participated in a few group shows within the country and has also worked on a few mural projects in public spaces within Lagos.
Bisola is an Arts In Medicine fellow (2017/2018), an initiative of Tender Arts Nigeria and one of the selected cohorts for the Arts In Medicine Summer Intensive University Of Florida. She also an active volunteer of the Arts in Medicine Project in Nigeria by Tender Arts Nigeria. Bisola hopes to use her art as a form of therapy to heal the soul and give hope to the seeming hopeless and voice to the voiceless.
She currently works as a full time studio artist in Lagos Nigeria.

JULIUS AGBAJE

Julius was born in Lagos in the year 1992, he hails from Edo state. He attended the distinguished Yaba College of Technology where he earned a National Diploma (ND) in 2014 and in 2017, a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Painting. Following a successful academic session in the same year, he won the Omooba Yemisi Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF) Residency award for best graduating painting student.
In 2018, Julius emerged winner of the NYSC Lagos Art Competition and also won first place in the Ramati Art Africa’s Afriuture Painting competition. He has exhibited in spaces like The National Museum, Freedom Park, TerraKulture and ALARA. He is currently based in Lagos where he works as a muralist, calligrapher, design consultant, studio artist and freelance writer.

ARTS IN MEDICINE PROJECT

OGOCHUKWU ANOCHIA

Ogochukwu Anochia is a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University. She is an art educator, a passionate arts in health enthusiast who has worked with patients in various healthcare centers and hospitals in Nigeria. She facilitates art and crafts session and inspire happiness for patients, caregivers and healthcare providers. She is a 2018 Arts in Medicine Fellow and alumni of Arts in Medicine Summer Intensive, University of Florida.

ARTS IN MEDICINE PROJECT

OLAMIDE OLASUNMADE

Olamide Olasunmade is a practicing visual artist known for his unique style of realism which he believes speaks to the world in a universal language. He is the founder of “Tstrokes by Olamide”, a visual arts business, specializing in the creation of artworks and tutoring young aspiring artists. Olamide coordinate Arts in Medicine Project in Abuja, Nigeria.

Unable to fully express himself in speech and writing as a child with slow learning ability, traumatized by the death of his father at age 4, art gave him a voice. It was his major form of communication and self expression. He found peace and discovered his artistic talent as he drew and crafted everything he saw and felt. He then progressed to study visual arts in the University of Lagos, steadily improving his artistic skills, leading him into a professional career as an arts tutor in various schools where he has nurtured young artistic talents and given voices to children with disabilities.

As one who has experienced the healing power of Arts, his teaching style encourages schools to be more artistic in their learning approach, and children to express their feelings through art.

ARTS IN MEDICINE PROJECT

Peter Oluwadare

Peter Oluwadare is a Performing artiste, a Violinist who is very passionate about using arts to bring life to people in his community through hospital music concerts through collaboration with other artistes.
As a Performing artiste with years of experience, He has performed in several shows in Nigeria alongside prominent musicians and Orchestra groups. He has also participated in Music Competitions and won many awards to his portfolio.

He coordinates music sessions for children, adolescents, adults and women in hospitals and healthcare centres in Lagos Nigeria. This includes Sing along, Bedside Music and Ward Performances. As a Violinist, Peter enjoy bringing happiness to the healthcare space and his community. He has also coordinated Music for Mental Health and facilitated music sessions at Pediatric and Oncology Ward. This include children living with Cancer, Sickle Cell Anemia and Adult living with Mental illness.

He is currently working on creating an Orchestra Society in Lagos and indeed in Nigeria at large featuring over 75 seasoned orchestra musicians, honorary members, and outstanding students in Music schools.